Dry my tears and I'll make your smile real
by Lucifer's Arch Angel
Summary: ‘Say something... Say anything. Make me stay. Tell me you won’t let me go,’ Kaoru thought desperately, clinging to her pride and not letting the man behind her have the satisfaction of seeing her turn, though she was sure he hurt watching her leave.
1. The Runaway

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Hi peoples, I've decided after reading a lot a good KaoSou fics I'd right one. Here's the beginning.

Disclaimer: I'm not so sure RuroKen would be as popular as it is if I owned it.

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'Say something... Say anything. Make me stay. Tell me you won't let me go,' Kaoru thought desperately, clinging to her pride and not letting the man behind her have the satisfaction of seeing her turn, though she was sure he hurt watching her leave.

"Kaoru," his voice came in a cracked whisper, and she turned, trying not to spin around completely, "Kaoru," he said again, "Good luck."

Her head whipped back to the wide empty dirt road, which seconds ago seemed to promise him begging her to stay, it seemed now to promise a safe place were she could cry alone. Her feet dragged slowly alone the road as fresh tears ran down her cheeks, growing in speed the farther she walked.


	2. Small Town Meeting

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Alright, maybe writing every day for my college class will help my fics.

Yay! My first fic with review/s and fav/s or alert/s in less then five days!

Disclaimer: Ha, ha, right.

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Wind stirred the dirt road before him, tugging at his clothes and trying to turn him form his destination; but he trudged on, into the small town just out side Tokyo. He felt the odd stares from the townspeople around him. He knew what they were thinking, _'why's that fool carrying a sword?'_ He could hear some speak their concerns.

'_Let them think what they will,'_ was what he thought. It didn't much matter if people feared him; it was just like when he'd served Shishio. Every one of Shishio's followers scattered in all directions when he walked in their general direction; though, it did surprise him that people outside Shishio's army were terrified, even when his sword was sheathed.

His ever present smile disturbed them further, and so he was left relatively alone. His cobalt eyes traveled here and there taking in the houses and inns, and each glare and wondering stare. Until they came to a girl who's tear streaked cheeks made him stop for a moment. His head tilted to the side in question, before he approached her.

"Excuse me, miss?" he said innocently.

Her head shot up, sad blue eyes staring at him for a moment, "huh?"

"Miss, are you alright?" he asked with a slight chuckle at her disconnection.

"Oh," she whipped at her eyes and said in a quiet voice, "Yeh, 'm fine."

"You don't look 'fine'," he mused, looking her up and down. Her clothes were dirty and torn. Her hair was in disarray and needed a good washing and her eyes were red and puffy from her obvious crying with cheeks now smeared with tear stains.

"Alright, I'm a little upset," she mumbled, her eyes went to the ground.

"Anything I can do to help?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

She stared up at him, shock plain across her face. Before she shook herself, "I don't think you could."

"I can try," he answered with an odd determined voice.

She looked at him with an odd look, almost like she knew he'd fail, but hoped he wouldn't, before she held out her hand, "Kamiya, Kaoru."

It took a minuet for him to under stand before he took her hand, "Seta, Soujiro."


	3. Just Kaoru

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I'm surprised at how this is coming along. Part of me wants to say it sucks, the other part is telling that part to sit down and shut its trap.

Disclaimer: You know.

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Some distant part of her mind tried to remember why his name raised an alarm in her head but it didn't get far when she realized it had something to do with the man she'd left behind. She pushed the alarm a side as he spoke.

"Alright then, Kaoru- san..."

"Just Kaoru," she corrected, not wanting to be reminded of _him_, even if the honorific was different.

"Okay, _Kaoru_," he looked her over again, "perhaps food and rest would help," he debated with himself whether or not to add bath to that list but, decided against it.

Kaoru looked at herself while nodding to him.

"Perhaps a change of clothes as well," he added, eyeing the rips and tears that covered her clothing.

She grimiest and nodded as she saw just how unkind the trip had been on her attire.

They walked through the small town, keeping a conversation going that she was made an active participant just so she wouldn't have to think about anything that would make her regret thinking.

It didn't take them to long to find an inn.


	4. Inn

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Here's Ch. 4

Disclaimer: Blah, blah, blah...

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The inn they found was much like the Aoi-ya in Kyoto. It was of average size and was kept spotless by the loyal family who ran it. The front room was large and served as a lounge/ restaurant; tables and cushions were scattered here and there, a few of the customers relaxed eating talking and so-on.

A small desk sat between two staircases behind it a slight woman sat greeting people that walked to her. Kaoru walked slowly behind Soujiro with an anxious gate, though she didn't know why she was anxious, while Soujiro walk at a more leisurely pace with an almost lazy gate.

The small woman eyed them suspiciously, obviously debating whether or not to through them out, for the sword Soujiro carried, or let them stay. When they reached her she still watched them warily.

"Hello miss," Soujiro said politely, bowing his head as he did so.

"Hello, what can I do for you two?" she asked, clearly not wanting them to scare off her other customers.

"Two rooms, one night," he answered, dropping a small bag onto the desk.

The woman poured the contents onto her palm and counted the small coins and folded paper. Her eyes widening as she counted higher and higher. She bit her lip, another internal debate no doubt, before she separated a few coins and notes and handed him back the rest in the bag. Then she stood and grabbed two keys from under the desk.

"Follow me," she ordered.


	5. Can I come?

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This is a big thank you to my reviewers. THANK YOU!!! You're all freakin' awesome!

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Kaoru held back a moan of delight as she ate. The long hot bath she'd taken had done wonders for her tried and aching body, and the change of clothes Soujiro had forced onto her (not literally) were much more comfortable then her previous clothes. Now she sat in the large front room of the inn with Soujiro.

At first it surprised her how easy it was for her to talk to him, though he didn't talk much. She found herself telling him about the dojo and Yahiko, though she skipped over things that would make her turn into a sobbing mess again.

She caught the numerous glares and uncomfortable whispers from the inns other wary costumers as they watched the pair, she knew what the problem, Soujiro's sword.

"You really shouldn't carry that around," she said eyeing it herself when the looks and talk became annoying to her.

He looked down following her eyes. Before his ever present grin grew, "I'm sorry to say that's not really an option for me," he ran a hand absentmindedly over its snow white sheath.

"And why not?" she asked concern shadowing her eyes, as she began trying to think of reasons for someone to carry a sword in this day and age.

"You're not going to figure out why," he said, noticing the look that had come into her eyes.

"Then tell me," she shot back.

"You wouldn't understand. Or have I been mistaken, have ever taken someone's life?" he stayed cool as he had been when he'd been talking to her before. His head tilted to the side with his question.

She stared at him, "Wh-why would that have anything to do with your carrying a sword?"

He just continued to smile at her.

"Soujiro?" she asked worried, partially because she didn't want to share her trip with someone who might try to kill her as well as worry for him. "You wouldn't understand if I told you," he answered, shaking his head.

She smirked quoted him, "I can try."

He laughed and his smile softened a bit, "perhaps I should rephrase that, I can't explain it...Not to someone who's never..," he let her fill in the blank with what he'd already said.

She sighed in defeat and shook her head, giving up the subject.

They were silent for a long moment before he spoke.

"Where were you planning on going?"

She frowned at the question. She hadn't really thought about the_ where_, as much as the_ away_ from part of her leaving. In the end she just shrugged, "Anywhere, I guess."

He nodded, his grin growing, "Anywhere's good, much better then nowhere. Would you mind my company to anywhere?"

She watched him for a moment, before eyeing the sword at his side.

"You can't use this," he patted the sheath, "As an excuse you didn't care a few minuets ago."

"A few minuets ago I didn't know what you used it for... I still don't but, I know more."

"This blade cries at my side more then it takes lives these days."

She sighed hopelessly, "Fine, but that stays put away," she pointed to the sword as she finished her sentence.

"What ever you say."

_What ever you say._


End file.
